Cowboy Christmas

September 10, 2012
For three cowboys out on the range, Christmas is looking mighty lonely. “‘No presents,’ said Dwight. ‘No stockings,’ added Darryl. ‘No Santy,’ groaned Dub.” As the cowpokes reminisce about the Christmas trees, cookies, and horses dressed as reindeer of their youths, camp chef Cookie suggests they create their own versions of those traditions. The results aren’t great (“charred sugar-molasses-bean cookies” are as bad as they sound), but a surprise visitor gives the cowboys a Christmas to remember. Sanders’s humorous, clipped prose and Manders’s loose, campfire-lit artwork are just right for the story’s down-and-dirty setting. As Dwight puts it, this one’s “a rip-roarin’ good time.” Ages 2–5.

September 1, 2012
Three lonesome cowboys stuck out on the range face a "low-down and miserable" Christmas without the usual treats and trimmings until a surprise visit from "Santy Claus" brightens their holiday. Dwight, Darryl and Dub are the three cowpunchers, working the range with their faithful father figure and grub wrestler, Cookie. The cowboys try to make do with their Christmas preparations, making bean-sprinkled cookies, decorating a cactus and fashioning reindeer costumes for their heifers. Cookie takes Christmas day off, but the cowboys return after a hard day on the range to find Santa in camp with a full dinner, decorated tree and wrapped presents for all. Sharp-eyed, older readers will note the Santa hat tucked in Cookie's back pocket when he returns to camp as well as the identical boots worn by Cookie and Santa, but younger children will believe that Santa delivers to cowpokes out on the range as well as to little girls and boys. Cartoon-style art, lots of cowboy lingo and the funny attempts at holiday decoration and baking add humor to the overall effort. Young buckeroos who like their Christmas stories punchy rather than sweet might just take a likin' to ol' Dwight, Darryl and Dub. (Picture book. 4-7)

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October 1, 2012

K-Gr 2-Cowboys Dwight, Darryl, and Dub are lamenting the fact that "Santy Claus" won't be able to find them out on the range. As each cowhand recalls a fond memory from Christmases past, their trusty cook "Cookie" doles out advice on what they can do now to get in the spirit. They decorate a cactus, char some cookies, and make costumes for the cows. Feeling low-down and forgotten on Christmas day, they are surprised back at camp by Santa himself. After an evening of food, presents, and making merry, Santa disappears into the night-and Cookie soon gallops back into camp, the unsuspecting cowboys none the wiser. The lively cartoonlike illustrations go hand-in-hand with the text and will entertain and amuse young readers in the mood for a Western-style Christmas.-Madeline J. Bryant, Los Angeles Public Library

Copyright 2012 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

August 1, 2012
Preschool-G Saddle up, Santa. A gang of dusty cowpokes lament that Santy Claus will never find us out here on the range and that even if he did, he wouldn't put presents under the ugly old Christmas cactus they rustle up. He probably wouldn't like the burnt molasses-and-beans cookies either, and tying sticks to the cows' antlers wouldn't fool anyone into thinking they might be reindeer. But when Dwight, Darryl, and Dub return to camp on Christmas night, lo and beholdthere's Santy himself with a tree, feast, presents, and caroling aplenty. Shame that Cookie had to miss it all (wink wink). The warmhearted and goofy story hits all the right notes for a hearty Yuletide warble, and Manders supplies cutesy cows, push-broom mustaches, and ten-gallon hats with happy aplomb. This double-threat book has got both your holiday-season and home-on-the-range needs covered.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2012, American Library Association.)